Popular Moore family becomes the toast of Cheltenham as father and somn
combine to land BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase

Winners are regularly celebrated and cheered long and hard at Cheltenham, but rarely has one been greeted with the genuine warmth and affection shown to Sire De Grugy and his trainer and jockey, Gary and Jamie Moore, after the eight-year-old had galloped away for a stylish victory in Wednesday’s BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Crowds lined the walkway and jockeys emerged from their inner sanctum to pay tribute. Professionalism and sheer hard-graft have been bywords for the Moore family and in Sire De Grugy the trainer has finally secured his reward, a brilliant winner of an elite race.

Gary had been a journeyman jockey, better known for battling his way around Plumpton and Fontwell Park. He only ever had three Festival rides – without success – and took over the trainer’s licence two decades ago from father Charlie, a used-car dealer, who had specialised in winning sellers on the Flat at Brighton.

But Gary’s knack with horses of varying talents and descriptions has long earned him praise of fellow professionals, and also as father of Ryan, the multiple Flat champion jockey, as well as Sire De Grugy’s jockey Jamie, plus siblings Josh and Hayley, who also ride, he also has their admiration.

Moore, 57, was emotional after the race. “It’s Jamie’s first Festival winner, and the other jockeys coming out afterwards proved how popular he is. And seeing Ryan there as well, it meant quite a lot. It probably has been done before but I haven’t seen it done for a long time,” he said.

“This means so much to me and my family. It’s something I thought could happen, but these things don’t happen very often. I suppose I’m very lucky to have such a great family. I’m proud of all of them.”

It may have been Jamie’s first Festival winner, but with his display of coolness and poise, you would never have known. Later, he recalled how, in mid-race, Ruby Walsh had given him a rapid-fire tactical briefing. “Ruby’s ridden more winners around there than anybody, and when he suddenly dropped back, I shouted: ‘What should I do now?’

“Ruby told me: ‘Get up behind Davy Russell [Special Tiara] quickly.’ So I did.” Sire De Grugy was taken off his feet slightly in the charge downhill, but Jamie tucked him in behind coming around the home bend and waited for a split to come approaching the second-last. The rest was trouble-free and he strode away to beat stalwart Somersby by six lengths.

By any standards, it was a gem of a ride, but for Jamie, the most appreciated accolade came from his brother. “Ryan said he had never seen me give any horse a better ride, and Ryan doesn’t talk for the sake of talking, so it meant a lot,” he said.

It is amazing how quickly the scene can change. Six months ago, Sprinter Sacre was almost unbackable for the Champion Chase, and even when he was pulled up because of a heart problem in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park over Christmas, most bookmakers left him at the head of their ante-post markets.

Sire De Grugy won that race, the Tingle Creek and the Ascot Chase, and now he has trounced the best around in the Queen Mother. He has emerged from Sprinter Sacre’s shadow in spectacular style and nobody should begrudge the sudden rise. The only regret is that Sprinter Sacre has not been around to give an accurate gauge of that improvement.

“It annoys me that people don’t give him the credit he deserves,” said Gary.

“It was all about Sprinter Sacre, and someone wrote the other day that this race should be done under the trade descriptions act. But he can do no more than he has done. He has gone out there today and done it. Jamie knows what he is doing and he has given the horse an absolute peach of a ride. I am so thrilled for everybody concerned. The horse is such a professional and very easy to train.”

“I’ve had so many text messages of support. I had a call from Richard Hannon junior at six o’clock this morning.”

That is the way it is when you are popular and respected in the racing game. The Moores can expect more of the same in the immediate future.